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Welcome
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Wherever you are in the world, you can access our worldwide medical evacuation & travel assistance center with a phone call or a click 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. |
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The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance companies prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and if it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. U.S. medical insurance plans may not cover health costs incurred outside the United States unless supplemental coverage is purchased. Further, U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment for medical services outside the United States. However, many travel agents and private companies offer insurance plans that will cover health care expenses incurred overseas, including emergency services such as medical evacuations . When making a decision regarding health insurance, Americans should consider that many foreign doctors and hospitals require payment in cash prior to providing service and that a medical evacuation to the United States may cost well in excess of $50,000. Uninsured travelers who require medical care overseas often face extreme difficulties, whereas travelers who have purchased overseas medical insurance have found it to be life saving when a medical emergency has occurred. When consulting with your insurer prior to your trip, please ascertain whether payment will be made to the overseas healthcare provider or if you will be reimbursed later for expenses that you incur. Some insurance policies also include coverage for psychiatric treatment and for disposition of remains in the event of death. If an American citizen becomes seriously ill or injured abroad, a U. S. consular officer can assist in locating appropriate medical services and informing family or friends. If necessary, a consular officer can also assist in the transfer of funds from the United States. However, payment of hospital and other expenses is the responsibility of the traveler. Before going abroad, learn what medical services your health insurance will cover overseas. If your health insurance policy provides coverage outside the United States, REMEMBER to carry both your insurance policy identity card as proof of such insurance and a claim form. Although many health insurance companies will pay "customary and reasonable" hospital costs abroad, very few will pay for your medical evacuation back to the United States. Medical evacuation can easily cost $10,000 and up, depending on your location and medical condition. THE SOCIAL SECURITY MEDICARE PROGRAM DOES NOT PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR HOSPITAL OR MEDICAL COSTS OUTSIDE THE U.S.A. Senior citizens may wish to contact the American Association of Retired Persons for information about foreign medical care coverage with Medicare supplement plans.
To facilitate identification in case of an accident, complete the information page on the inside of your passport providing the name, address and telephone number of someone to be contacted in an emergency. A traveler going abroad with any preexisting medical problems should carry a letter from the attending physician, describing the medical condition and any prescription medications, including the generic name of prescribed drugs. Any medications being carried overseas should be left in their original containers and be clearly labeled. Travelers should check with the foreign embassy of the country they are visiting to make sure any required medications are not considered to be illegal narcotics. A listing of addresses and telephone numbers of U.S. embassies and consulates abroad is contained in Key Officers of Foreign Service Posts. This publication may be obtained through the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. Also available from the Government Printing Office is Health Information for International Travel by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This contains a global rundown of disease and immunization advice and other health guidance, including risks in particular countries. The CDC maintains the international travelers hotline at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747), an automated faxback service at 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299) and a home page on the Internet at http://www.cdc.gov.
Some countries require foreign visitors to have inoculations or medical tests before entering. Before traveling, check the latest entry requirements with the foreign embassy of the country to be visited. Click here for Emergency Information Click here for lists of Doctors/Hospitals abroad. Click here for the SARS Notice. Click here for the Avian Flu Fact Sheet. Click here for Foot and Mouth Disease Fact Sheet Click here for the Chemical/Biological Agents Fact Sheet Click here for information on Responding to Radiological and Nuclear Incidents. Source: US State Department
Bon Voyage! ¡Tenga un viaje seguro! Ayez un voyage sûr! Have a safe trip! |
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HERE'S THE FINE
PRINT: at the discretion of the insurance companies. This site is updated frequently, but we recommend contacting Sunburst Worldwide Insurance Services directly to be assured of getting the most up-to-date information available. Copyright © 1999-2010 by Sunburst Worldwide Insurance Services. CA Insurance License #0B65721Warning: All of the pages on this site are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction by any means or for any purpose, except as specified on certain pages, is not allowed without the express written permission of the copyright owner.
Bangkok raises security to high alert after recent blasts September 03, 2010BANGKOK : Thailand has put over 460 locations across Bangkok on high alert on Friday in response to a series of grenade attacks that have rattled nerves in a city still under emergency rule after deadly protests. Royal palaces, key government buildings, power plants and public transport will receive special protection from the Centre for Resolution of Emergency Situation (CRES), the body set up to monitor security since unrest in April. Man seriously injured in Bangkok blast August 27, 2010East Asia / Pacific - Thailand A man was injured in a second bomb attack at the same central Bangkok location within a month, police said Friday, as the city remains under emergency rule after deadly anti-government protests. more...
Thousands evacuated after floods in China, N.
Korea
August 21, 2010 Peru plague outbreak kills 1, infects at least 31 August 4, 2010 LIMA, Peru – Peru's health minister says an outbreak of plague has killed a 14-year-old boy and infected at least 31 people in a northern coastal province. MEXICO CITY – Mexico is facing a sort of perfect storm of floods that breed mosquitoes, prompting a big increase in the number of hemorrhagic dengue cases, the country's top epidemiological official said Wednesday. Mexico Ends Swine-Flu Alert After 14 Months July 1, 2010The Mexican government announced on Tuesday the end of the health alert for the AH1N1 flu virus after 14 months in which 1,289 people died in this country and 72,000 cases were registered. . .. South Korea foot-and-mouth outbreak spreads to mainland April 20, 2010SEOUL: South Korea said Tuesday that an outbreak of foot-and-mouth had spread to its mainland from an island west of Seoul despite a mass cull aimed at containing the animal disease.
Thailand's PM declares emergency
April
7, 2010
1,000 Die Of TB In India Every Day, Says WHO
March 25, 2010
Massive earthquake strikes Chile
February 27, 2010 Chile earthquake: Pacific nations brace for tsunami Feb. 27, 2010Santiago's international airport was forced to close, a highway bridge ..."Tsunami waves in the deep ocean travel about the same speed as a jet plane and ...
Brazil Confirms Dengue Epidemic in 5 States
February
20, 2010
Group targets spiked drinks during Games
U.starts aid airdrops
into Haiti
January 19, 2010 Security concerns rise in Haiti's capital as distribution problems continue to hamper the supply of aid to desperate quake survivors. Days after the quake devastated Port-au-Prince, killing tens of thousands, there are some reports of gangs preying on residents and looting. Officials say thousands of prisoners are unaccounted for after the main prison was destroyed. Relief has been arriving, but little has moved beyond the jammed airport.
U.S. lifts HIV/Aids immigration ban
January 4, 2010 Volcanic ash disrupts Puerto Rican flights December 30, 2009 Caribbean air traffic is being snarled by a cloud of volcanic ash floating 10,000 feet above the island of Montserrat, forcing the cancellation of more than 60 flights in Puerto Rico. At least eight U.S. carriers have had their operations affected by the Soufriere volcano, which has been spewing ash for several weeks. China tries to fix crumbling health care system November 30, 2009 China once provided rudimentary but universal care to everyone. But as the country shifted from socialism to a market economy over the past 30 years, health care frayed. Medical costs soared faster than incomes, and treatment today depends on one's ability to pay. Nearly a third of the poor say that health is the most important cause of their poverty, according to the World Health Organization. Flights cancelled as Beijing blanketed in snow November 10, 2009BEIJING - Nearly 70 flights were cancelled and more than 30 delayed at Beijing's airport Tuesday after the second major snow storm of the season blanketed the Chinese capital, airport officials said. Massive security at Asian summit in Thailand October 22, 2009
Thailand has mounted one of its biggest
security operations in recent history with more than 36,000 military and
police to prevent anti-government demonstrators from overrunning a
summit of Asian leaders, an official spokesman said Thursday.
October
19, 2009The Philippines orderes imports of 250,000 tonnes of rice and lawmakers rushed to approve funding for immediate rebuilding of farms and roads badly damaged by two typhoons that killed over 650 people. The Philippines, the world's biggest rice buyer, would hold a tender two months earlier than normal on Oct. 30 for the shipment of the grain, which it wants delivered between January and April, the National Food Authority said. The Philippines turned its focus on Sunday from rescue operations to sending relief to northern provinces devastated by floods and cut off by landslides as the death toll from two typhoons in 14 days rose to more than 600. Using shovels and their bare hands to avoid triggering more landslides, rescue teams kept up a search for bodies in the areas of northern Luzon island that remained isolated. In this statement, the Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre reminds us that up to 400,000 people fled their homes in the south of the Philippines last year to espace from fighting.
East Asia / Pacific, Middle East / N. Africa, South / Central Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa - Australia, Bangladesh, Burma, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Pakistan, Seychelles, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Timor-Leste Eighteen countries around the Indian Ocean are holding the first region-wide test of a tsunami warning system aimed at saving thousands of lives. China number two in world for rabies deaths East Asia / Pacific - China September 28, 2009BEIJING: China is second only to India worldwide in the number of people killed by rabies every year, the government reported, making the disease one of the nation's biggest public health threats. "China is one of the countries most severely affected by rabies, and in recent years the number of annual reported deaths from rabies has averaged around 2,400," the health ministry said in a statement on its website. "It is only inferior in number to India, and gives us the world's second-place ranking." The statement, issued to coincide with World Rabies Day on Monday, said rabies was among the top three infectious diseases in China. China Bars Foreigners From Making Visits to Tibet September 25, 2009 China has stopped issuing travel documents to foreigners seeking to visit Tibet, according to local tour operators, another indicator of the government’s skittishness over the coming anniversary of the Communist victory in 1949. Argentina Says 337 Flu Deaths Confirmed Aug. 6 , 2009Americas - Argentina A total of 337 deaths from swine flu have been confirmed and a similar number are under review in Argentina, but "it is clear that the number of cases is falling,” a government official said Wednesday. Flu infects 100,000 in past week July 23, 2009The number of new cases of swine flu in the past week has reached an estimated 100,000 in England, the BBC has learnt. Argentina’s Government Says Flu Death Toll at 163 July 22, 2009
Americas - Argentina
At least 163 people have died from the AH1N1 flu virus
in Argentina, making it the country with the second-largest number of
deaths from the disease, Health Minister Juan Manzur said.
South / Central Asia - India
Heavy rains on Tuesday lashed Mumbai inundating low
lying areas and paralysing normal life as river Mithi crossed the danger
mark prompting Vehicles move through a flooded road as heavy rains lash
Mumbai.
Australia swine flu cases hit 400
June 1, 2009Australia's swine flu cases jumped by nearly a third to pass 400 on Monday, making it the Asia-Pacific region's worst-hit country and intensifying a major health emergency. Mexico's health minister revises down the number of suspected swine flu deaths in the country from 176 to 101. Avian Flu Cases in Egypt Raise Alarms April 21, 2009Middle East / N. Africa - Egypt An unusual pattern of avian flu cases in Egypt — almost all are in toddlers, all of whom have survived — has led some flu-tracking Web sites to speculate that dozens of silent cases are circulating there. U.S. Embassy warns Americans to stay sober in Tokyo neighborhood April 10, 2009American men are being surreptitiously drugged as they drink, especially when alone in strip clubs, embassy officials said. While they are unconscious, the perpetrators – including scantily clad women with whom they might be socializing – take their credit cards and run up large bills. Eiffel Tower closes due to strike April 8, 2009PARIS – An official at the Eiffel Tower says the attraction is closed to visitors because of a strike. The official said the tower did not open Wednesday morning and is expected to remain closed all day. She was speaking on condition of anonymity in accordance with the job regulations. It was not immediately clear how many workers were on strike or what their demands were. Argentina Facing Worst-Ever Dengue Outbreak April 5, 2009 BUENOS AIRES – The Argentine government acknowledged on Friday that the outbreak of dengue affecting the country’s northern provinces is the worst in its history, although it stressed that this is not a nationwide epidemic. Lao province at risk of bird flu outbreak March 30, 2009Many areas of Phongsaly province of Laos are at risk of infection from the H5N1 bird flu virus as local people are continuing to bring in poultry and eggs illegally from neighboring countries, the Lao newspaper Vientiane Times reported Monday. 200 feared dead in Indonesian dam burst March 30, 2009It is feared the final death toll from a flash flood in Jakarta caused by a collapsed dam could move past 200. Ninety-eight people are already confirmed dead in the flood in the Indonesian capital, but 132 more cannot be accounted for. McALLEN — The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has banned workers in five state agencies from traveling to Mexico to conduct research or work on binational health programs because of fears of kidnappings and other drug cartel-fueled violence. Death Toll From Dengue Hits 15 in Brazilian State March 15, 2009BRASILIA – The death toll from dengue this year in the Brazilian state of Bahia has risen to 15, health officials said, adding that they were still awaiting the results of tests on 30 other people who died recently. March 11, 2009 Outbreaks of dengue fever have risen in the Asia Pacific region in the past year, killing three times more victims in 2008 than in recent years, says the World Health Organisation (WHO). Chusak Prasittisuk, a dengue specialist with the WHO, says efforts to prevent and control dengue have been constrained due to lack of political commitment, inadequate resources and lack of coordinated efforts. Dengue, the most widespread tropical disease after malaria, is transmitted by mosquitoes. Approximately 2.5 billion people globally are at risk, the majority in Asia Pacific.
East Asia / Pacific -
Thailand British travellers warned of Nørrebro violence March 3, 2009Europe - Denmark The British Foreign & Commonwealth Office has advised travellers to be cautious when visiting areas affected by recent gang violence Vietnam has 54th death from bird flu February 27, 2009HANOI (Reuters) - A 32-year-old Vietnamese man infected with the H5N1 bird flu strain has died in hospital in the capital Hanoi, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday, quoting the health ministry. State Dept. Cites 'Large Firefights' in Travel Alert on Mexico ... February 21, 2009The latest travel advisory for Mexico from the US State Department will certainly not please the ... the travel alert issued Friday reads like the plot of a crime thriller. ... "Recent Mexican army and police confrontations with drug cartels have resembled small-unit combat, with cartels employing automatic weapons and grenades," the advisory reads.. ...
Americas - Mexico
Mexican town on drug-smuggling route left defenseless after police quit
Feb.
20, 2009VILLA AHUMADA, Mexico – For people caught inside Mexico's drug corridors, life is about keeping your head down and watching your back, especially when the sun dips behind the cactus-studded horizon. Marchers block Mexico-US border February 18, 2009Mexico Hundreds of people in Mexico have blocked key crossings into the US in protests against the deployment of the army to fight drug traffickers. Aids is China's deadliest disease February 18, 2009
East Asia / Pacific - China
Chinese officials have said that HIV/Aids was the
leading cause of death last year, compared with other infectious
diseases.
February
9, 2009
A significant earthquake, measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale, occurred Monday near the coast of northern Peru, quake monitors said.The U.S. Geological Survey said the temblor took place at 9:09 a.m. at a depth of 6.2 miles. Its epicenter was 95 miles west of Chiclayo, 470 miles northwest of Lima and 475 miles south-southwest of Quito, Ecuador.CNN and Sky News said there were no immediate reports ... US diplomat expelled from Ecuador February 7, 2009Americas - Ecuador Ecuador's left-wing president has ordered the expulsion of a senior US diplomat, accusing him of suspending aid to Ecuador's anti-drugs programme.Is China Covering up a New Bird Flu Epidemic? February 3, 2009 Certainly there seems to be very strong evidence it is. There have already been eight reported cases of humans contracting the potential deadly H5N1 virus, from which five people have died this year. And despite the fact that Hong Kong officials have been finding dead birds infected with the virus washing up onto its shores in recent days from the mainland, China has not made any official statement concerning an outbreak among birds. http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/blog/eyeonasia/archives/2009/02/is_china_coveri.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_asiatech Security providers in Thailand say business is good amid downturn Feb. 02, 2009BANGKOK: Thailand's economic woes continue to deepen due to the gloomy global financial picture and the Kingdom's ongoing political unrest. But security providers said that business is good even in these hard times. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/southeastasia/view/406432/1/.html Floods in southern Brazil kill 12, uproot 3,600 Feb. 02, 2009Australian Broadcasting Corporation Floods have killed 12 people in Brazil's southernmost state Rio Grande do Sul and forced some 3,600 people from their homes, a state emergency coordinator has said. Thailand issues bird flu warningJanuary 18, 2009THAILAND'S Public Health ministry warned yesterday that 14 of its 76 provinces are at risk of bird flu this year, as an official said a cold snap boosted chances of the deadly virus spreading. Somchai ... http://www.bt.com.bn/en/asia_news/2009/01/18/thailand_issues_bird_flu_warning January 17, 2009 BANGKOK: Thailand’s Public Health ministry warned yesterday that 14 of its 76 provinces are at risk of bird flu this year, as an official said a cold snap boosted chances of the deadly virus spreading. http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=267184&version=1&template_id=45&parent_id=25 January 08, 2009 Americas, East Asia / Pacific, Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa - Papua New Guinea, Russia, South Africa, Venezuela The Washington DC-based Foreign Policy publication, in its edition last September, lists Port Moresby alongside Caracas (Venezuela), Cape Town (South Africa), New Orleans (USA) and Moscow (Russia) as cities where you have a very good chance of getting murdered. The Foreign Policy website (www.foreignpolicy.com), on which the listing is still available, says when it comes to brutal, homicidal violence, these five cities stand in a class of their own. http://solomonstarnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5748&change=71&changeown=79&Itemid=26 Bangkok airports shut down cost Thailand more than Tsunami Jan. 07, 2009Thailandnews.net Melbourne, Jan 7 : Anti-government protests that shut down Bangkok's airports last year have cost Thailand 11.5 billion dollars, much more than loses suffered during the Tsunami or SARS, a central bank study has said. http://www.thailandnews.net/story/450675
East Asia / Pacific - China
June 30, 2007 Sub-Saharan Africa - Kenya May 5, 2007 Kenya Airways plane crashed A Kenya Airways plane that crashed in Cameroon on Saturday has been found submerged in a swamp and there is no chance of any survivors, officials say. Europe - France France opens fastest railway link Mar. 15, 2007 France's fastest rail link to date has been inaugurated with the service's first train travelling from Paris to the east on Thursday afternoon. Trains on the line are set to travel at 320km/h (200mph). The service will open to passengers on 10 June when they will be able to travel further east to other EU states.
Tokyo, Japan: In a move aimed at further thwarting terrorist attacks, passengers on all international flights will be prohibited from bringing aboard liquids in containers larger than 100 milliliters starting Thursday Europe - Russia Explosion in Russian McDonald's Feb. 19, 2007 An explosion at a McDonald's restaurant in the Russian city of St Petersburg has slightly injured six people with concussion and cuts from flying glass.
Americas - Mexico 'Safest city' now has drug war Feb. 16, 2007 Monterrey, Mexico:: An affluent city just two hours from Texas is the newest battleground in a war between drug cartels Sub-Saharan Africa - Guinea Guinea Airport Situation Feb. 14, 2007 This warden message is being issued to update American citizens regarding information on Air France flights out of Guinea. A flight left Guinea for Paris yesterday. We believe Air France will try to operate flights to Paris starting Thursday, February 15 to Sunday February 19, 2007. East Asia / Pacific - Indonesia Bird flu virus kills Indonesian Feb. 9, 2007 West Java, Indonesia A 20-year-old woman in Indonesia who tested positive for bird flu has died, becoming the country's 64th human victim, a health official said
Americas - Brazil SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) -- Slick runways at Brazil's busiest airport will undergo major overhauls this month after officials tried to ban wide-body jets because of fears they could skid off its short landing strips, the airport's authority said Thursday.
East Asia / Pacific - Vietnam Vietnam plans new railway link Feb. 6, 2007 Hanoi: The Vietnamese authorities have approved plans to build a $33bn (£15bn) rail link between the capital, Hanoi, to Ho Chi Minh City in the south. New Thailand airport off to rough start Feb. 2, 2007 BANGKOK, Thailand - The taxiways are cracked, the terminal has leaks and some airlines even wonder whether it's safe to fly into Thailand's new international airport. Australians warned about crime in Caribbean Feb. 2, 2007SYDNEY, Australia: The foreign affairs department said in an official travel advisory that fans needed to be aware of safety issues at the World Cup, to be hosted by six Caribbean nations from March 10 until April 28. "In some parts of the Caribbean, violent crime, including armed robbery, kidnapping and murder is common," the advisory said.
UK Updated
Polonium-210 Information
Jan.
31, 2007
Copyright © 1999-2009 by Sunburst Worldwide Insurance Services. CA Insurance License #0B65721Warning: All of the pages on this site are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction by any means or for any purpose, except as specified on certain pages, is not allowed without the express written permission of the copyright owner.
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